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Abstract Background Dysregulation of iron metabolism is implicated in malignant transformation, cancer progression, and therapeutic resistance. Here, we demonstrate that iron regulatory protein 2 (IRP2) preferentially regulates iron metabolism and promotes tumor growth in colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods IRP2 knockdown and knockout cells were generated using RNA interference and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas9 methodologies, respectively. Cell viability was evaluated using both CCK-8 assay and cell counting techniques. Furthermore, IRP2 inhibition was determined by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and RNA immunoprecipitation (IP). The suppressive effects of IRP2 were also corroborated in both organoid and mouse xenograft models, providing a comprehensive validation of IRP2’s role. Results We have elucidated the role of IRP2 as a preferential regulator of iron metabolism, actively promoting tumorigenesis within CRC. Elevated levels of IRP2 expression in patient samples are correlated with diminished overall survival, thereby reinforcing its potential role as a prognostic biomarker. The functional suppression of IRP2 resulted in a pronounced delay in tumor growth. Building on this proof of concept, we have developed IRP2 inhibitors that significantly reduce IRP2 expression and hinder its interaction with iron-responsive elements in key iron-regulating proteins, such as ferritin heavy chain 1 (FTH1) and transferrin receptor (TFRC), culminating in iron depletion and a marked reduction in CRC cell proliferation. Furthermore, these inhibitors are shown to activate the AMPK-ULK1-Beclin1 signaling cascade, leading to cell death in CRC models. Conclusions Collectively, these findings highlight the therapeutic potential of targeting IRP2 to exploit the disruption of iron metabolism in CRC, presenting a strategic advancement in addressing a critical area of unmet clinical need.

Abstract The implementation of sodium metal batteries (SMBs) is known for their low cost and high energy density. However, a major concern in SMBs is the formation of dendrites on the Na metal anode, which can potentially cause short circuits and compromise safety. Herein, to address this issue, we propose a novel approach to create a protective layer by decorating Na surface with NaI particles. This protective layer exhibits a high Young’s modulus and excellent sodium ion transference ability. As a result, the lifespan of the Na/NaI||Na/NaI cell is significantly extended to 850 h at 0.5 mA cm−2/1 mAh cm−2. Furthermore, when the Na/NaI anode is combined with a Na3V2(PO4)3 (NVP) cathode, the full cell retains 83 mAh g−1 (approximately 94% of its initial capacity) even after 1500 cycles at 5 C. Overall, this work presents a simple and effective method for establishing a protective layer on the Na surface, thereby enabling the realization of long lifespan and stable SMBs.

The novel application of laser surface texture as a method for enhancing the deposition of coatings on substrates has garnered significant interest. This study focuses on the use of atmospheric plasma-sprayed Mo–NiCrBSiCFe coating, which was applied to both laser surface textured and grit-blasted AISI 304 substrates. The coating powder was created by mechanically milling a mixture of 25 % molybdenum and 75 % NiCrBSiCFe powders, providing a unique combination of materials for the deposition coating. The analysis zeroed in on examining the effects of laser texture grooves on the microstructure, porosity, microhardness, and adhesion strength of the composite coating. The findings revealed that the composite coating primarily comprises MoO2, Mo, and Ni phases. In comparison to the grit-blasted substrate, the coating applied on the laser-textured groove substrate exhibited a porosity increase of 15.15 %, a pore size rise of 17.45 %, a notable 45.62 % improvement in adhesion strength, and a significant 23.57 % enhancement in scratch resistance. Furthermore, the coating on the laser-textured substrate exhibited fewer closed pores. The microhardness of the coating surface was higher than that of the coating cross-section within the grooves. Notably, the laser surface texture had a significant impact on the adhesion strength, microstructure, and hardness of the composite coating, surpassing the results achieved through traditional grit blasting. One novel observation from this study is that laser surface texturing can have a significant impact on the porosity of Mo–NiCrBSiCFe coatings. Another noteworthy finding is that laser surface texturing can enhance the hardness of Mo–NiCrBSiCFe coatings.

Surface structures and microstructures are of vital importance to the wetting behaviors and mechanical robustness of non-wetting surfaces. In this work, yttrium oxide coatings with different surface structures and microstructures were deposited via the solution precursor plasma spray (SPPS) process, powder plasma spray (PPS) process, and a newly-developed mesh shielding PPS process. The SPPS coatings showed porous microstructures and hierarchical surface structures, and thereby presented superhydrophobic behaviors. The PPS coatings showed dense lamellar microstructures and relatively flat surface topographies, resulting in mildly hydrophobic behaviors. The PPS coatings exhibited much higher mechanical robustness and more stable hydrophobicity under physical damage as compared to the SPPS coatings. The coatings deposited via the mesh shielding PPS process showed unique surface structures of conical pillars, endowing the coating with excellent hydrophobicity and high mechanical robustness. The conical-structured coatings showed quasi-superhydrophobic behaviors, and maintained relatively consistent hydrophobicity after abrasion. The effects of the microstructures and surface structures on the wetting behaviors and mechanical robustness of different coatings were comparatively investigated. The effects of the microstructures and surface structures on the wetting behaviors and mechanical robustness of different coatings were comparatively investigated. The change of wetting behaviors of coatings after different treatments was elaborated by correlating with the surface compositions. The work showed the wetting behaviors and mechanical robustness can be manipulated by tailoring the microstructures and surface structures in plasma spray processes.

Tianjin-monkey Chicken is a locally bred naked neck poultry with limited population size. Herein, we intended to identify potential breed-related genes based on methylome and transcriptome analyses. Tianjin-monkey Chicken and Hy-line Brown Chicken were crossbred and the individuals were divided into three groups: PN (Purebred naked neck chicken(Tianjin-monkey Chicken)) group (n = 10); CN (Crossbred naked neck chicken) group (n = 10); CF (Crossbred feathered chicken) group (n = 10). These 30 individuals were subjected to whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) and transcriptome sequencing. Differential methylated regions were detected by WGBS. No significant difference existed in naked-neck-related traits between PN and CN chicken. CpG methylation level of the promoter region differed in PN, CN vs. CF chicken. By integrating methylome and transcriptome results, four genes were identified between PN and CN groups, and 24 key genes were identified between CN and CF groups, with great potential in breeding. The 24 genes were enriched on 32 GO terms and 3 KEGG pathways, such as ion transport. The promoter region CpG methylation level was distinct between feathered and naked neck groups. We identified 24 potential genes for future breeding, valuable for targeted breeding and genetic enhancement in poultry production.

Abstract Exploring new near-room-temperature thermoelectric materials is significant for replacing current high-cost Bi2Te3. This study highlights the potential of Ag2Se for wearable thermoelectric electronics, addressing the trade-off between performance and flexibility. A record-high ZT of 1.27 at 363 K is achieved in Ag2Se-based thin films with 3.2 at.% Te doping on Se sites, realized by a new concept of doping-induced orientation engineering. We reveal that Te-doping enhances film uniformity and (00l)-orientation and in turn carrier mobility by reducing the (00l) formation energy, confirmed by solid computational and experimental evidence. The doping simultaneously widens the bandgap, resulting in improved Seebeck coefficients and high power factors, and introduces TeSe point defects to effectively reduce the lattice thermal conductivity. A protective organic-polymer-based composite layer enhances film flexibility, and a rationally designed flexible thermoelectric device achieves an output power density of 1.5 mW cm−2 for wearable power generation under a 20 K temperature difference.

Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) have emerged as an attractive alternative for large‐scale energy storage due to their low cost and high safety. The selection of cathode materials, which determine SIB performance, becomes a crucial aspect. Vanadium‐based phosphates are known for their multielectron transfer properties and stable structure, but their intrinsic electronic conductivity is limited. In this regard, bimetallic substitution is an excellent modification method for improving the conductivity property. Herein, a novel Na4VMn0.7Ni0.3(PO4)3@C (NVMNP@C) cathode with less vanadium is designed for SIBs, which exhibits outstanding electrochemical performance at 25 °C, delivering rate capacity of 67 mA h g−1 at 3 A g−1, and long‐term cyclability of remaining 74.6% after 4800 cycles at 2 A g−1. Furthermore, excellent low‐temperature adaptability (82 mA h g−1 at 20 mA g−1, 60 mA h g−1 at 400 mA g−1, and 90.4% capacity retention after 230 cycles at 100 mA g−1) at −40 °C is also achieved. This unique work has broken a feasible pathway for high‐performance SIB cathode at low temperature.

Afforestation is a promising nature-based climate solution for mitigating climate change, but it is subject to a complex web of biophysical, cost-benefit, market, and policy processes. Although its biophysical feasibility has been established, the cost, market, and policy constraints that affect climate change mitigation through afforestation are still unclear. Here, we estimate such cost, market, and policy constraints on the basis of biophysical feasibility. Our findings reveal that implementation costs are a more relevant constraint than opportunity costs on mitigating climate change through afforestation. The China Certified Emission Reduction market currently provides only a 0.308 % incentive for climate change mitigation through afforestation, due to market access constraints. The current market prices of China Certified Emission Reduction, China Carbon Emissions Trading Exchange, and Nature Based Carbon Offset in Voluntary Carbon Market constrain 88.15 %, 87.95 %, and 85.75 % of CO2 removal actions through afforestation, compared to the carbon price scenario (US$62.97 tCO2-1) of the EU Emissions Trading System. Moreover, land policy under the scenarios of prohibiting conversion of cultivated land to forest and forest restoration in degraded areas exhibit 8.87–29.59 % and 65.16–74.10 % constraints, respectively, on mitigating climate change through afforestation compared to land-use freedom conversion scenarios from 2020 to 2060. Thus, enhancing the incentive price of CO2 removal, addressing the market access barrier, strengthening cooperation between global carbon markets, and exploring carbon–neutral and food multi-oriented land policies can be valuable sources of mitigation efforts over the next 40 years.

Abstract Background and Aims The protection for ultra‐long UVA1 is lacked in the market, posing potential damage from ultra‐long UVA1 irradiation. The study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a sunscreen containing multiple components, especially Mexoryl® 400 for improving skin barrier function and reducing melanin content. Methods This single‐center study included adults with sensitive and normal skin in China in November 2022. Participants received the test sunscreen for 4 weeks. Melanin and hemoglobin content, sebum secretion skin hydration, and trans‐epidermal water loss were evaluated at T0d, T7d, and T28d. The self‐assessment was done at T15min, T7d, and T28d. Results Sixty participants were included, including 30 self‐claimed sensitive skin in the sunscreen group. The sunscreen demonstrated significant improvements in skin parameters. Skin redness reduced by 9.84% at T28d, sebum content in the forehead area decreased by 22.70% at T28d, and skin stratum corneum hydration increased by 38.44% at T28d, p

Reforestation is a potentially large-scale approach for removing CO2 from the atmosphere, thereby helping China achieve its goal of carbon neutrality by 2060. Although China has set ambitious national targets, the cost of mitigating climate change through reforestation has yet to be identified across space and time over the next 40 years. We construct spatially disaggregated marginal abatement cost curves for reforestation by modeling the effects of compensation for enhanced CO2 removals on reforestation. We project that carbon prices (compensation) of US$20 tCO2−1 and US$50 tCO2−1 would motivate land users in China to enhance reforestation by 3.35 Mha (2.65%) and 8.53 Mha (6.74%) respectively from 2020 to 2060 relative to the business-as-usual (BAU) scenario (127 Mha). Carbon dioxide removals through reforestation between 2020 and 2060 in China would be enhanced by 0.0124 GtCO2/yr (1.7%) at US$20 tCO2−1 or 0.0315 GtCO2/yr (4.3%) at US$50 tCO2−1, relative to the BAU scenario (0.740 GtCO2/yr). The cost potential of carbon dioxide removal demonstrates significant spatial heterogeneity. The top 10 provinces (Yunnan, Sichuan, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hunan, Guangdong, Heilongjiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, and Zhejiang), which comprise 73.19% of low-cost abatement potential, should be identified as priority areas for reforestation. Our results confirm the vast potential for low-cost CO2 removal through reforestation to address China’s carbon neutrality challenges while underscoring that targeting reforestation to regions with the greatest potential for low-cost CO2 removal would significantly reduce the cost burden.

In recent years, the development of an environmentally friendly quantum dots (QDs) embedded luminous solid by a simple method has attracted considerable attention. In this study, semiconductor ZnS QDs were successfully prepared in an inorganic matrix of amorphous glass, which yielded beneficial broad-band emission in the long-wavelength region of the visible range. The strong red emission belonged to the defect state energy level of the ZnS QDs, which could be enhanced by incorporation of nickel ions into the fixed matrix to regulate the defects state. The novel material had a small self-absorption, wide excitation and emission ranges, and thus potential applications in light-conversion devices, luminescent solar concentrators, and solar cell cover glasses.

The study of multi-time-delay dynamical systems has highlighted many challenges, especially regarding the solution and analysis of multi-time-delay equations. The symmetry and conserved quantity are two important and effective essential properties for understanding complex dynamical behavior. In this study, a multi-time-delay non-conservative mechanical system is investigated. Firstly, the multi-time-delay Hamilton principle is proposed. Then, multi-time-delay non-conservative dynamical equations are deduced. Secondly, depending on the infinitesimal group transformations, the invariance of the multi-time-delay Hamilton action is studied, and Noether symmetry, Noether quasi-symmetry, and generalized Noether quasi-symmetry are discussed. Finally, Noether-type conserved quantities for a multi-time-delay Lagrangian system and a multi-time-delay non-conservative mechanical system are obtained. Two examples in terms of a multi-time-delay non-conservative mechanical system and a multi-time-delay Lagrangian system are given.

Transforming growth factor-β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1) positively regulates oxidative stress and inflammation in different diseases. Takinib, a novel and specific TAK1 inhibitor, has beneficial effects in a variety of disorders. However, the effects of takinib on early brain injury (EBI) after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unknown. Our study showed that takinib administration significantly inhibited phosphorylated TAK1 expression after SAH. In addition, takinib suppressed M1 microglial polarization and promoted M2 microglial polarization. Furthermore, blockade of TAK1 by takinib reduced neuroinflammation, oxidative damage, brain edema, and neuronal apoptosis, and improved neurological behavior after SAH. Mechanistically, we revealed that TAK1 inhibition by takinib mitigated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and ROS-mediated nod-like receptor pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation. In contrast, NLRP3 activation by nigericin abated the neuroprotective effects of takinib against EBI after SAH. In general, our study demonstrated that takinib could protect against EBI by targeting TAK1-ROS-NLRP3 inflammasome signaling. Inhibition of TAK1 might be a promising option in the management of SAH.

Tianjin-monkey Chicken is a locally bred dual-purpose naked neck poultry with high tolerance to heat stress and poor reproductive ability. We aim to explore breeding-related genes to promote its growth, reproduction, meat, and egg performances. In this study, purebred, crossbred neck-naked and crossbred neck-feathered Tianjin-monkey Chickens (male = 5 and female = 5 in each group) were sampled for transcriptome analysis. Differential gene expression analysis was performed to identify candidate genes based on mRNA expression profiles. Functional enrichment analyses including GO, KEGG and GSEA analysis were conducted. Forty-five candidate breeding-related genes were identified, which were significantly enriched in 5 KEGG pathways and 37 GO terms. Some of the candidate genes were considered to be valuable in guiding breeding in the future, including SPRY3, CPXM2, FST, HDDC2, TLR1B, CYBB, and EHHADH.

Abstract Cadmium sulfide (CdS) buffer layer is commonly used in Kesterite Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) thin film solar cells. However, the toxicity of Cadmium (Cd) and perilous waste, which is generated during the deposition process (chemical bath deposition), and the narrow bandgap (≈2.4 eV) of CdS restrict its large‐scale future application. Herein, the atomic layer deposition (ALD) method is proposed to deposit zinc–tin‐oxide (ZTO) as a buffer layer in Ag‐doped CZTSSe solar cells. It is found that the ZTO buffer layer improves the band alignment at the Ag‐CZTSSe/ZTO heterojunction interface. The smaller contact potential difference of the ZTO facilitates the extraction of charge carriers and promotes carrier transport. The better p–n junction quality helps to improve the open‐circuit voltage (VOC) and fill factor (FF). Meanwhile, the wider bandgap of ZTO assists to transfer more photons to the CZTSSe absorber, and more photocarriers are generated thus improving short‐circuit current density (Jsc). Ultimately, Ag‐CZTSSe/ZTO device with 10 nm thick ZTO layer and 5:1 (Zn:Sn) ratio, Sn/(Sn + Zn): 0.28 deliver a superior power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 11.8%. As far as it is known that 11.8% is the highest efficiency among Cd‐free kesterite thin film solar cells.

Owing to messenger RNA's unique biological advantages, it has received increasing attention to be used as a therapeutic, known as mRNA-based gene therapy. It is critical to have an ideal strategy of mRNA gene therapy for glioma, which grows in a special environment. In the present study, we screened out a safe and efficient transfection reagent for intracranial delivery of synthetic mRNA in mouse brain. First, in order to analyze the effect of different transfection reagents on the intracranial delivery of mRNA, the synthetic luciferase mRNA was wrapped with two different transfection reagents and microinjected into the brain at the fixed point. The expression status of delivered mRNA was monitored by a small animal imaging system. The possible reagent-induced biological toxicity was evaluated by behavioral and blood biochemical measurements. Then, to test the therapeutic effect of our intracranial delivery mRNA model on glioma, synthetic modified tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) mRNA was used as an example of therapeutic application. This model demonstrated that synthetic mRNA could be successfully delivered into the brain using commercially available transfection reagents, and TransIT-mRNA showed better results than in vivo-jetPEI kit. This model can be applied in precise targeting and personalized gene therapy of glioma.

Background Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are important regulators in the pathogenesis of lung cancer. The study aims to explore the function and mechanism of circRNA methyltransferase-like 15 (circ-METTL15) in lung cancer development. Methods The expression of circ-METTL15, miR-1299 and programmed death-ligand 1 (PDL1) were investigated by qRT-PCR assay. Cell viability, colony formation, cell proliferation and invasion were determined by MTT, colony formation, EDU incorporation and transwell assays, respectively. Cell apoptosis was attested by flow cytometry and TUNEL assays. Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and Tumour Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α) production were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the survival rate of cancer cells was assessed by cytotoxicity analysis. The protein expression was examined by western blot or immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay. The interaction between miR-1299 and circ-METTL15 or PDL1 was confirmed via dual-luciferase reporter assay. Xenograft models were established in mice to explore the role of circ-METTL15 in tumour growth in vivo. Results Circ-METTL15 was upregulated in lung cancer tissues and cells. Circ-METTL15 silencing suppressed cell proliferation, colony formation, invasion, immune escape and promoted cell apoptosis in lung cancer cells. Circ-METTL15 was a sponge of miR-1299, and it could exert regulatory function in lung cancer via miR-1299. Furthermore, PDL1 was a functional target of miR-1299, and miR-1299 inhibited lung cancer cell development via decreasing PDL1 expression. Moreover, circ-METTL15 controlled PDL1 expression by acting as a sponge of miR-1299. Besides, circ-METTL15 downregulation blocked lung cancer tumour growth in vivo by regulating the miR-1299/PDL1 axis. Conclusion Circ-METTL15 promoted lung cancer malignant progression at least partly through modulating PDL1 by sponging miR-1299.

Antimony selenide (Sb2Se3) has drawn tremendous research attentions in recent years as an environment-friendly and cost-efficient photovoltaic material. However, the intrinsic low carrier density and electrical conductivity limited its scope of applications. In this work, an effective ion doping strategy was implemented to improve the electrical and photoelectrical performances of Sb2Se3 thin films. The Sn-doped and I-doped Sb2Se3 thin films with controllable chemical composition can be prepared by magnetron sputtering combined with post-selenization treatment based on homemade plasma sintered targets. As a result, the Sn-doped Sb2Se3 thin film exhibited a great increase in carrier density by several orders of magnitude, by contrast, a less increase with one order of magnitude was achieved for the I-doped Sb2Se3 thin film. Additionally, such cation or anion doping could simultaneously modify the conduction type of Sb2Se3, enabling the first fabrication of a substrate structured Sb2Se3-based quasi-homojunction thin film solar cell with configuration of Mo/Sb2Se3-Sn/Sb2Se3-I/ITO/Ag. The obtained power conversion efficiency exceeding 2% undoubtedly demonstrated its attractive photovoltaic application potential and further investigation necessity.

Background: The preparation of silver nanoparticles often involves some tedious steps and extra reducing agents. PDMAEMA and β-CD can act as the reducing and stabilizing agents for the preparation of silver nanoparticles without any external reducing agent. Methods: β-Cyclodextrin-g-Poly (2-(dimethylamino) ethylmethacrylate) as the stabilizer and reductant to prepare colloid silver nanoparticles in situ. Such an approach greatly simplified the preparation and purification of silver nanoparticles. Results: The graft yield of β-CD-g-PDMAEMA increased with the increase of amount of DMAEMA.Ag nanoparticles was obtained under neutral or slightly alkaline environment. The intensity of surface plasmon resonance peak of Ag nanoparticles increased as the concentration of β-CD-g-PDMAEM and silver nitrate increased. In addition, the Ag nanoparticles were in the form of spherical particles observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The FTIR spectrum of nanocomposite showed that coordination existed between the silver nanoparticles and tertiary amino groups of PDMAEMA segments. Conclusion: Silver nanoparticles were successfully prepared by in situ synthetic method, using β-CD-g- PDMAEMA as both reductant and stabilizer. It can be envisioned that the theroresponsive silver nanocomposite could find applications in biomedical feld. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infrared evanescent wave sensing based on chalcogenide fiber is an emerging technology for qualitative and quantitative analysis of most organic compounds. Here, a tapered fiber sensor made from Ge10As30Se40Te20 glass fiber was reported. The fundamental modes and intensity of evanescent waves in fibers with different diameters were simulated with COMSOL. The 30 mm length tapered fiber sensors with different waist diameters, 110, 63, and 31 μm, were fabricated for ethanol detection. The sensor with a waist diameter of 31 μm has the highest sensitivity of 0.73 a.u./% and a limit of detection (LoD) of 0.195 vol.% for ethanol. Finally, this sensor has been used to analyze alcohols, including Chinese baijiu (Chinese distilled spirits), red wine, Shaoxing wine (Chinese rice wine), Rio cocktail, and Tsingtao beer. It is shown that the ethanol concentration is consistent with the nominal alcoholicity. Moreover, other components such as CO2 and maltose can be detected in Tsingtao beer, demonstrating the feasibility of its application in detecting food additives.

Abstract Antimony selenide (Sb2Se3) is an ideal photovoltaic candidate profiting from its advantageous material characteristics and superior optoelectronic properties, and has gained considerable development in recent years. However, the further device efficiency breakthrough is largely plagued by severe open‐circuit voltage (VOC) deficit under the existence of multiple defect states and detrimental recombination loss. In this work, an effective absorber layer growth engineering involved with vapor transport deposition and post‐selenization is developed to grow Sb2Se3 thin films. High‐quality Sb2Se3 with large compact crystal grains, benign [hk1] growth orientation, stoichiometric chemical composition, and suitable direct bandgap are successfully fulfilled under an optimized post‐selenization scenario. Planar Sb2Se3 thin‐film solar cells with substrate configuration of Mo/Sb2Se3/CdS/ITO/Ag are constructed. By contrast, such engineering effort can remarkably mitigate the device VOC deficit, owing to the healed detrimental defects, the suppressed interface and space‐charge region recombination, the prolonged carrier lifetime, and the enhanced charge transport. Accordingly, a minimum VOC deficit of 0.647 V contributes to a record VOC of 0.513 V, a champion device with highly interesting efficiency of 7.40% is also comparable to those state‐of‐the‐art Sb2Se3 solar cells, paving a bright avenue to broaden its scope of photovoltaic applications.

Background: The preparation of silver nanoparticles often involves some tedious steps and extra reducing agents. PDMAEMA and β-CD can act as the reducing and stabilizing agents for the preparation of silver nanoparticles without any external reducing agent. Methods: β-Cyclodextrin-g-Poly (2-(dimethylamino) ethylmethacrylate) as the stabilizer and reductant to prepare colloid silver nanoparticles in situ. Such an approach greatly simplified the preparation and purification of silver nanoparticles. Results: The graft yield of β-CD-g-PDMAEMA increased with the increase of amount of DMAEMA.Ag nanoparticles was obtained under neutral or slightly alkaline environment. The intensity of surface plasmon resonance peak of Ag nanoparticles increased as the concentration of β-CD-g-PDMAEM and silver nitrate increased. In addition, the Ag nanoparticles were in the form of spherical particles observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The FTIR spectrum of nanocomposite showed that coordination existed between the silver nanoparticles and tertiary amino groups of PDMAEMA segments. Conclusion: Silver nanoparticles were successfully prepared by in situ synthetic method, using β-CD-g-PDMAEMA as both reductant and stabilizer. It can be envisioned that the theroresponsive silver nanocomposite could find applications in biomedical feld. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

K-ion batteries (KIBs) have emerged as an auspicious alternative to Li-ion batteries (LIBs) owing to their uniform distribution, plentiful reserves, the low cost of K resources, and their similar physicochemical properties to Li resources. The development of KIBs is seriously limited by cathode materials. Here, a hybrid of K3V2(PO4)3 (KVP) particles triple-coated by amorphous carbon, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets (KVP/C/CNT/rGO) was fabricated by a facile ball milling process followed by heat treatment. Consequently, a stable capacity of 57 mAh g−1 can be achieved at 0.2C, and a slow capacity decaying rate (0.06% per cycle) is displayed during 500 cycles under a high current density of 5C. The remarkable reversible capacity and excellent long-term cycling life are mainly due to the enhanced interwoven C/CNT/rGO networks and superior KVP crystal structure stability, which can provide multi-channel for fast electron transport and effective K+ diffusion.

The Li–S battery is extremely attractive in electric vehicles and portable electronics owing to the ultrahigh theoretical energy density and reduced cost. Nevertheless, sulfur dissolves into polysulfide in the electrolyte and shuttles between the electrodes results in rapid capacity decay, thereby limits practical applications in energy storage. Herein, a simple coating method was proposed to introduce a WS2@PB11 Prussian blue (PB)–PPy22 Polypyrrole (PPy)–modified coating on the surface of the conventional polymer separator. The unparalleled composition of the WS2@PB–PPy layer can adequately inhibit the back and forth of polysulfides and the formation of inactive sulfur–related substances. Therefore, lithium ions can be transferred homogeneously inside the battery. Compared with those of batteries with pristine PP separators, the specific capacity and cycle stability are remarkably ameliorated for lithium-sulfur battery. This modified separator battery exhibits a raised specific capacity (1050 mAh g−1) and promoted capacity retention (650 mAh g−1 after 300 cycles) with coulombic efficiency more than 99.5% and capacity retention rate reaching 62%. It demonstrates that the three-layer porous as ions sieve structure indeed prevents the transfer of polysulfides through electrolyte to the anode and allows lithium-ion to pass through the separator. The rational design for the modified separator provides a trendy method to realize high-performance Li–S batteries.

In this work, we found that stainless steels with different crystal structures generated two new surface micro-nano morphologies after anodization. The surface morphologies were observed by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Element identification and quantitative analysis of each element were carried out using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Anodized stainless steel with a face-centered cubic crystal structure (SS-fcc) exhibits 45° grooves along the crystal edges while stainless steel with a body-centered cubic structure (SS-bcc) has wedges protruding out of the anodized surface. The crystal structures and the percentage of crystal planes of SS-fcc and SS-bcc were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) before and after anodization. It was observed that different crystal facets of SS-fcc and SS-bcc disappear at different rates during anodization. This explains the different micro-nano morphologies observed during the anodization process. It is concluded that different crystal planes have different anodization properties and the degree of disappearance of the crystal plane is consistent with its energy order. Keywords: Anodization, Stainless steel, Crystal structure, Micro-nano morphology

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of the exogenous gut microbiome at early life stages on the development of mice skeletal muscle in adulthood. First, the characteristics of skeletal muscle and the gut microbiota composition of the gut microbiota donors—Erhualian (EH) pigs (a native Chinese breed)—were studied. EH pigs had significantly higher fiber densities and thinner fiber diameters than Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire crossed (DLY) pigs (p < 0.05). The expression levels of genes related to oxidized muscle fibers, mitochondrial function, and glucose metabolism in the skeletal muscle of EH pigs were significantly higher than those in DLY pigs (p < 0.05). Moreover, the abundances of 8 gut microbial phyla and 35 genera correlated with the skeletal muscle fiber diameters and densities exhibited significant differences (p < 0.05) between EH and DLY pigs. Subsequently, newborn mice were treated with saline (CG) and fecal microbiota suspensions collected from EH pigs (AG), respectively, for 15 days, starting from the day of birth. In adulthood (60 days), the relative abundances of Parabacteroides, Sutterella, and Dehalobacterium were significantly higher in the feces of the AG mice than those of the CG mice. The microbes contribute to improved functions related to lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. The weight, density, and gene expression related to the oxidized muscle fibers, mitochondrial function, and glucose metabolism of the AG group were significantly higher than those of the CG group (p < 0.05), whereas the fiber diameters in the skeletal muscle of the AG mice were significantly lower (p < 0.05) than those of the CG mice. These results suggested that intervention with exogenous microbiota at early stages of life can affect the fiber size and energy metabolism of their skeletal muscle.

Evanescent wave absorption-based mid-infrared chalcogenide fiber sensors have prominent advantages in multicomponent liquid and gas detection. In this work, a new approach of tapered-fiber geometry optimization was proposed, and the evanescent efficiency was also theoretically calculated to evaluate sensing performance. The influence of fiber geometry (waist radius (Rw), taper length (Lt), waist deformation) on the mode distribution, light transmittance (T), evanescent proportion (TO) and evanescent efficiency (τ) is discussed. Remarkably, the calculated results show that the evanescent efficiency can be over 10% via optimizing the waist radius and taper length. Generally, a better sensing performance based on tapered fiber can be achieved if the proportion of the LP11-like mode becomes higher or Rw becomes smaller. Furthermore, the radius of the waist boundary (RL) was introduced to analyze the waist deformation. Mode proportion is almost unchanged as the RL increases, while τ is halved. In addition, the larger the micro taper is, the easier the taper process is. Herein, a longer waist can be obtained, resulting in larger sensing area which increases sensitivity greatly.

Rechargeable aqueous zinc ion batteries (ZIBs) have attracted increasingly solicitude in the application of large-scale electrochemical energy storage system (EES) as a result of their low-price, high security and environment-friendly. The synthesis of mass-produced electrode materials and the exploration of their potential electrochemical properties are essential steps to achieve superior large-scale EES. In this work, the large-scale preparation of vanadium oxyphosphate hydrate (VOPO4⋅2H2O) cathode material with impressively zinc storage ability is successfully demonstrated. Specially, it exhibits a high specific capacity of 165 mAh g–1 at 0.05 A g–1, and prominent rate property (90 and 75 mAh g–1 at 2 and 5 A g–1, respectively), as well as stable cyclability of 76% after 1000 cycles under a high current density of 5 A g–1 within the voltage window of 0.4–1.6 V (versus Zn2+/Zn). Moreover, the VOPO4⋅2H2O not only spreads superiority in electrochemical performance, but also shows the advantages of scalable production based on simple controllable adjustment in synthesis, which is expected to exhibit great development potential in the field of large-scale EES application.

Na-ion batteries (SIBs) are anticipated to capture a broad development space in the field of large-scale energy storage due to the abundant sodium resources. High-performance cathode materials are very critical. VOPO4⋅2H2O with a two-dimensional (2D) layered structure is a very promising candidate for SIBs because of its high working voltage and theoretical specific capacity. Herein, a simple one-step reflux method is designed to fabricate a cathode of VOPO4⋅2H2O nanosheets. It exhibits a high average operating potential of ∼3.5 V, remarkable specific capacity (e.g., 135 mAh g–1 at 0.05 C), favorable high current charge-discharge ability (e.g., 58 mAh g–1 even at 20 C) as well as extralong cyclability (e.g., 0.026% capacity fading rate for per cycle at 20 C during 1000 cycles). The kinetic analysis implies that the superior sodium storage performance is mainly benefiting from the advantages of unique nanosheet structure, accelerating the rapid Na-ion diffusion.

The Ge-As-Te glass has a wide infrared transmission window range of 3–18 μm, but its crystallization tendency is severe due to the metallicity of the Te atom, which limits its development in the mid- and far-infrared fields. In this work, the Se element was introduced to stabilize the Ge-As-Te glass. Some glasses with ΔT ≥ 150 °C have excellent thermal stability, indicating these glasses can be prepared in large sizes for industrialization. The Ge-As-Se-Te (GAST) glasses still have a wide infrared transmission window (3–18 μm) and a high linear refractive index (3.2–3.6), indicating that the GAST glass is an ideal material for infrared optics. Raman spectra show that the main structural units for GAST glass are [GeTe4] tetrahedra, [AsTe3] pyramids, and [GeTe4Se4−x] tetrahedra, and with the decrease of Te content (≤50 mol%), As-As and Ge-Ge homopolar bonds appear in the glass due to the non-stoichiometric ratio. The conductivity σ of the studied GAST glasses decreases with the decrease of the Te content. The highest σ value of 1.55 × 10−5 S/cm is obtained in the glass with a high Te content. The activation energy Ea of the glass increases with the decrease of the Te content, indicating that the glass with a high Te content is more sensitive to temperature. This work provides a foundation for widening the application of GAST glass materials in the field of infrared optics.

In this paper, we study the perturbations of the charged static spherically symmetric black holes in the f(R)=R−2αR model by a scalar field. We analyze the quasinormal modes spectrum, superradiant modes, and superradiant instability of the black holes. The frequency of the quasinormal modes is calculated in the frequency domain by the third-order WKB method, and in the time domain by the finite difference method. The results by the two methods are consistent and show that the black hole stabilizes quicker for larger α satisfying the horizon condition. We then analyze the superradiant modes when the massive charged scalar field is scattered by the black hole. The frequency of the superradiant wave satisfies ω∈(μ2,ωc), where μ is the mass of the scalar field, and ωc is the critical frequency of the superradiance. The amplification factor is also calculated by numerical method. Furthermore, the superradiant instability of the black hole is studied analytically, and the results show that there is no superradiant instability for such a system.

Abstract In this paper, we consider a spectrally negative Markov additive risk process. Using the theory of Jordan chain, a compact formula of Parisian ruin probability is given. The formula depends only on the scale matrix of spectrally negative Markov additive risk processes and the transition rate matrix Λq $\Lambda^{q}$.

Abstract Novel glasses in a Ga2S3-Sb2S3-AgI system were prepared with a melt-quenching method, and their glass-forming region was identified. The maximum dissolvable AgI in glasses was 65 mol%. The thermal, optical, and structural properties of glasses were investigated as a function of AgI and Ga2S3 contents. The Ga2S3-Sb2S3-AgI glasses possess a wide region of transmission window (0.65−14 μm). An ionic conductivity of approximately 1.01 × 10−3 S/cm can be obtained for a 40 (0.8Sb2S3-0.2Ga2S3)-60AgI glass at an ambient temperature, and the ionic conductivity increased as temperature increased. The relative activation energy of Ag+ conduction was also calculated. These novel glasses show potential for the combined application of infrared optics and solid electrolytes.

Abstract The structural evolution and phase-change kinetics of NiO-doped ZnSb films are investigated. NiO-doped ZnSb films exhibit a single-step crystallization process, which is different from that of undoped ZnSb. NiO-doped ZnSb can directly crystallize into a stable ZnSb phase at temperatures greater than 320 °C with suppression of a metastable ZnSb phase. These characteristics enlarge the amorphous/crystalline resistance ratio by approximately five orders of magnitude. Moreover, NiO doping of ZnSb films increases crystallization temperature from 260 to 275 °C, improves data retention temperature from 201.7 to 217.3 °C and increases crystalline activation energy from 5.64 to 6.34 eV. The improvement of the thermal parameters in the nanocomposite can be attributed to stable ZnSb grain growth refinement owing to the dispersion of NiO particles in the sample matrix. This provides additional nucleation sites and produces more ZnSb/NiO interfaces, which can initiate the nucleation and accelerate crystallization. The kinetic exponent n decreases from 1.12 to 0.44, which confirms the ultrafast one-dimensional growth and heterogeneous phase transition of the NiO-doped ZnSb films. The improved thermal stability, larger resistance ratio and direct transition to a stable phase with ultrafast one-dimensional crystal growth indicate the good potential of these materials in phase-change memory applications.

Antimony selenide (Sb2Se3) has been widely investigated as a promising absorber material for photovoltaic devices. However, low open-circuit voltage (Voc) limits the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of Sb2Se3-based cells, largely due to the low-charge carrier density. Herein, high-quality n-type (Tellurium) Te-doped Sb2Se3 thin films were successfully prepared using a homemade target via magnetron sputtering. The Te atoms were expected to be inserted in the spacing of (Sb4Se6)n ribbons based on increased lattice parameters in this study. Moreover, the thin film was found to possess a narrow and direct band gap of approximately 1.27 eV, appropriate for harvesting the solar energy. It was found that the photoelectric performance is related to not only the quality of films but also the preferred growth orientation. The Te-Sb2Se3 film annealed at 325 °C showed a maximum photocurrent density of 1.91 mA/cm2 with a light intensity of 10.5 mW/cm2 at a bias of 1.4 V. The fast response and recovery speed confirms the great potential of these films as excellent photodetectors.

Magnetron sputtering has become an effective method in Sb2Se3 thin film photovoltaic. Research found that post-selenization treatments are essential to produce stoichiometric thin films with desired crystallinity and orientation for the sputtered Sb2Se3. However, the influence of the sputtering process on Sb2Se3 device performance has rarely been explored. In this work, the working pressure effect was thoroughly studied for the sputtered Sb2Se3 thin film solar cells. High-quality Sb2Se3 thin film was obtained when a bilayer structure was applied by sputtering the film at a high (1.5 Pa) and a low working pressure (1.0 Pa) subsequently. Such bilayer structure was found to be beneficial for both crystallization and preferred orientation of the Sb2Se3 thin film. Lastly, an interesting power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 5.5% was obtained for the champion device.

Although carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composites (CF/EP) have been widely used in many fields, it is still unknown if such composites could be used in extreme environments exposed to high-intensity thermal radiation that could result in severe damage to materials. In this case, CF/CP has been prepared through thermocompression method and the thermal radiation experiment has been designed and performed. The obtained results show that the parameters including irradiation power density and irradiation time directly affect the damage degree. After irradiation with 4–6 W cm ^−2 of thermal radiation, decomposition occurred in all CF/EP composites. In addition, the numerical simulation method was used to calculate the effect process, and the results showed that when the thermal radiation coefficient was 0.88, the calculated temperature history was consistent with that of the experiment. After irradiated at 6 W cm ^−2 for 30 s, the decomposition thickness reaches to 0.7 mm, indicating the high-intensity thermal radiation has caused an obvious effect on CF/EP.

This paper presents the facile synthesis of two different morphologies of WS2 nanomaterials—WS2 hexagonal nanoplates and nanoflowers—by a sulfurization reaction. The phases and morphology of the samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The tribological performance of the two kinds of WS2 nanomaterials as additives in paraffin oil were measured using a UMT (Universal Mechanical Tester)-2 tribotester. The results demonstrated that the friction and wear performance of paraffin oil can be greatly improved with the addition of WS2 nanomaterials, and that the morphology and content of WS2 nanomaterials have a significant effect on the tribological properties of paraffin oil. The tribological performance of lubricating oil was best when the concentration of the WS2 nanomaterial additive was 0.5 wt %. Moreover, the paraffin oil with added WS2 nanoflowers exhibited better tribological properties than paraffin oil with added WS2 hexagonal nanoplates. The superior tribological properties of WS2 nanoflowers can be attributed to their special morphology, which contributes to the formation of a uniform tribo-film during the sliding process.

We report our recent progress on fabricating dehydrated tellurite glass fibers. Low OH content (1 ppm in weight) has been achieved in a new halogen-containing lead tellurite glass fiber. Low OH-induced attenuation of 10 dB/m has been confirmed in the range of 3–4 µm using three measurement methods. This shows the dehydrated halo-tellurite glass fiber is a promising candidate for nonlinear applications in a 2–5 µm region.

Despite being close neighbors on the Periodic Table, selenium and tellurium present a totally different abilities to form glasses. Se is a very good glass former, and gives rise to numerous glass compositions which are popular for their transparency in the infrared range and their stability against crystallization. These glasses can be shaped into sophisticated optical devices such as optical fibers, planar guides or lenses. Nevertheless, their transparencies are limited at about 12 μm (depending on the thickness of the optical systems) due to the relatively small mass of the Se element. On the other hand, tellurium is heavier and its use in substitution for Se permits to shift the IR cutoff beyond 20 μm. However, the semimetallic nature of Te limits its glass formation ability and this glass family is known to be unstable and consequently has found application as phase change material in the Digital Versatile Disk (DVD) technology. In this paper, after a review of selenide glasses and their applications, it will be shown how, in a recent past, it has been possible to stabilize tellurium glasses by introducing new elements like Ga or I in their compositions.

This paper considers a perturbed Markov-modulated risk model with two-sided jumps, where both the upward and downward jumps follow arbitrary distribution. We first derive a system of differential equations for the Gerber-Shiu function. Furthermore, a numerical result is given based on Chebyshev polynomial approximation. Finally, an example is provided to illustrate the method.